Victims of slavery deserve support. FREEDOM UNITED.

Dear David,

Maya’s survivor story, having endured years of trafficking for sexual exploitation in England, shows the importance of adequate support to ensure effective rehabilitation. Maya’s experience was not easy, but if guaranteed long-term support was set out in law in England and Wales, then recovery would not be the lottery it is today.


... back the Modern Slavery (Victim Support) Bill.[1]

Lord McColl has introduced a Bill in the House of Lords which would ensure that victims like Maya will receive a support worker and a care plan for 12 months immediately following their formal recognition as a victim. This would help them make that journey to survivor and a life that is free for good.

The Bill will shortly be moving through the parliamentary system from the House of Lords to the House of Commons and there is a risk to the Bill if it does not have the support of government and MPs. That’s why we are working with the Free For Good coalition to show that this legislation is crucial if the UK is to be a leader in fighting modern slavery.

...the campaign for guaranteed victim care in the UK.

Maya says "nobody should ever become a victim of trafficking, I should never have been trafficked for those many years undetected. I was not only a child but I was a child in a school. A child with a GP, a child with foster parents and social workers, all which failed throughout seven years to identify that I was being tricked, controlled, tortured and sold every day."

"I spent years accepting that what my life had become couldn't and wouldn't ever change. It was impossible for me to speak out and nobody around me took any notice of the signs right in front of them."

Maya was fortunate to find The Snowdrop Project, who helped change her life drastically. This shouldn’t be about fortune. Victims should not be facing homelessness or destitution and risk being re-trafficked because of their experience of modern slavery.

...long-term support is crucial to prevent re-trafficking.

In solidarity,

Joanna, Miriam and all at Freedom United

Why we march. CONG. CAND. PAT RYAN.

David --

 

A year ago today, women took to the streets across New York State, the country, and the world to stand up and speak out to demand the dignity, respect, and rights that every person deserves.

 

The last year has illustrated powerfully that transformative social change is possible when women’s voices are heard, and when allies step up to support them.

 

That’s why I was proud to march in solidarity at the Hudson Women’s March yesterday. 

 

 

We have a lot of work ahead. But if we keep showing up and speaking out, as so many have in the last year, progress is within our reach.

 

-- Pat

A New Approach to Politics. CONG. CAND. JOSH WELLE.

Dear David,

Allow me to introduce myself: I'm Josh Welle, 12-year Navy veteran, New Jersey native, Congressional candidate. I’ve dedicated my life to serving my country and putting my community first. Now, at a time when our country is going backwards, I hope to continue that service in the House of Representatives.

Learn more about me here:

I'm tired of absentee politicians like Chris Smith taking us backwards and getting away with it. No matter where we're from or which party we support, we can all agree that a legislator who hasn't held a single town hall in the 21st century needs to be replaced. It's shameful, it's undemocratic, and it's time for a change.

But our campaign is about so much more than unseating a do-nothing congressman. It's about changing the way business gets done in Congress -- by bringing a pragmatic, results-driven approach to governing. It's about working hard every day to improve our schools and our hospitals, to expand access to professional training and career opportunities, and to build a brighter future for the next generation.

I'm committed to bringing integrity and accountability back to our politics.Most importantly, I'm committed to making sure the voices of the 4th District are heard loud and clear in Washington.  

Click here to watch our video -- it'll tell you more about me, why I'm running, and what I plan to do in Congress.

Thank you,

Josh Welle.

ONE YEAR LATER/WOMANS MARCH. EMILY'S LIST, CONG. CAND. KEN HARBAUGH, CONG. CAND. JASON RITTEREISER.

David-- "We've got two choices... We either run for office, or we support a sister who is running for office." That was my challenge on stage one year ago, on a cold winter day in D.C., to hundreds of thousands gathered for the Women's March and the millions more watching online and participating around the world. It's been 12 months, and over 26,000 women across the country in every single state have accepted the call to run. Last year wasn't just the start of a wave. It was the beginning of a sea change that could elect thousands of women over the next decade.  ...keep the spirit of the Women's March going by supporting... ...Democratic women running for office this year and for years to come. I walked off the stage last year feeling hopeful for the first time in months. And that hope grew the next day when a record 500 women joined us for a training on how to get ready to run for office. And this community — we just kept going. In the last year, we've trained over 2,500 women on how to run for office. We racked up historic wins in Virginia, Georgia, and Washington State. Already this year, we helped Patty Schachtner rack up a 10-point win in a Wisconsin state Senate district that went for Trump by 17 points. Hope is everywhere: in every woman who tells us she wants to run, every candidate we endorse, every person who volunteers to knock doors or call voters, and in the millions of people in the EMILY's List community who keep fighting every single day. There is a brighter future on the horizon for us — if we dare to claim it. Thanks for all you do, Stephanie Schriock President, EMILY's List

David -- Today, I was honored to share the stage with my 12-year-old daughter, Katie, at our local Women’s March.  Katie was the youngest speaker there by about a decade, but she was poised and wise and wonderful. She told the audience about her plans to be a Biochemical Engineer and she urged listeners if they wanted to change the future, they should RUN FOR SOMETHING. Katie ended her speech with these words: “If they won’t give you a seat at the table, bring your own folding chair.” I glimpsed the future today and it left me full of hope. Thank you everyone who came out.  In service,  Ken. David -- It’s been one year since Donald Trump took office. Let’s take a moment to look back on what he’s accomplished:    He’s tweeted threats of nuclear war. He’s emboldened the worst elements of our society by defending white supremacists and calling entire countries “s**tholes.” He’s threatened to trample the First Amendment by revoking broadcast licenses for networks that criticize him. Division, chaos, and racism have emanated from the White House.   Who can we rely on to hold him accountable?    Today also marks one year since hundreds of thousands of people mobilized throughout the country in the first-ever Women’s Marches. From Seattle to Washington, D.C., we stood up against the Trump administration to say we will not turn back the clock on progress in America; to say that our diversity makes us stronger.   Now we must make sure this message reverberates in the halls of Congress.   I’ve spent my career representing working people and fighting for Washington families. I won’t sit on the sidelines as Trump and his enablers in Congress put children’s healthcare at risk, nudge us down the path to war, and enrich corporations and billionaires at our expense.   We must take back the House of Representatives in 2018. We must build a grassroots movement today...We must elect someone who will protect our country and our rights.     -- Jason